Milan Volunteer Training Area

[Bone Collector]

I have been reading the threads on here and know where this is and you can indeed KINDA look at it on the TWRA interactive map. I know they had hunts for years here and there are some good deer on it. I also know that the hunt in 2020 was cancelled and as far as I know it was cancelled in 2021 and 2022.

Meaning if I am correct there hasn't been any hunting there for about 3 years.

So what I wanted to discuss is this hunt specifically and the pros and cons.

Pros:
obviously it hasn't been hunt much if at all in the last 2-3 years.
It was always limited access so that should bode well for growing deer.
Cons:
It appears they have a ton of hunts and the goal is NOT trophy bucks.
If you assume 100% success (won't happen) in a shotgun area, by the time someone gets there in Late Nov. - Early Dec (presumed rut) there will have been 75 deer killed in every shotgun area. Even if you don't have 100% success, there will have been a lot of deer shot at and shot by then.

1. What is everyone's feelings on this hunt?
2. Good idea, bad idea to try to draw?
3. what would be the best hunt dates?

 

[Bone Collector]

So my original post didn't turn into a novel...

1. What is everyone's feelings on this hunt? IDK. mixed emotions could be a great opportunity, but do I want to waste 10+ priority points on it...
2. Good idea, bad idea to try to draw? it appears the goal is slaughter. Quantity not quality. Running a SG hunt every weekend with 5 people in an area (IDK how big) and allowing them each 3 deer has me thinking by rut time they will be nocturnal with fear.
3. what would be the best hunt dates? Honestly one of the early SG hunts may be the ticket with bucks still on summer feed patterns, but ideally I would want to go during the rut, but IDK when that is in that area. I assume thanksgiving to late Nov. but it may be early Dec.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Ton of hunts, very few overall hunters per hunt. I believe a lot of folks banking points for President Island will jump on these.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

3. what would be the best hunt dates? Honestly one of the early SG hunts may be the ticket with bucks still on summer feed patterns, but ideally I would want to go during the rut, but IDK when that is in that area. I assume thanksgiving to late Nov. but it may be early Dec.

Summer patterns are great if you have time to pattern them. I doubt you'll have enough access to do so.

If I was using 10+ points, I would be doing what you're doing and finding out when the prime rut dates are.

 

[Bone Collector]

Ton of hunts, very few overall hunters per hunt. I believe a lot of folks banking points for President Island will jump on these.

that is kinda my thoughts and I have a bunch of points 10 or 11.

I am wondering what people think about the dates and which would be the best ones? I also would like to know how large each area is. I know there is like 20,000 acres and there are about 15 areas so napkin math tells me about ~1,300 acres each.

 

[Ski]

The best chance to kill a mature buck is first time in. If the first hunt includes some good hunters, I'd be surprised if there aren't some great bucks taken. As time goes on and pressure builds I think chances of tagging an older buck dwindle.

I get there are only 5 hunters per hunt but all 5 of those hunters each hunt will be hunting their buttons off. That makes for a lot of pressure. If it were my decision to make, I'd be seriously considering the first hunt if possible, and losing I interest with each consecutive hunt.

 

[Bone Collector]

The best chance to kill a mature buck is first time in. If the first hunt includes some good hunters, I'd be surprised if there aren't some great bucks taken. As time goes on and pressure builds I think chances of tagging an older buck dwindle.

I get there are only 5 hunters per hunt but all 5 of those hunters each hunt will be hunting their buttons off. That makes for a lot of pressure. If it were my decision to make, I'd be seriously considering the first hunt if possible, and losing I interest with each consecutive hunt.

this thought was what is nagging at me.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

"Any questions regarding Quota Hunts, please call (615) 781-6621" - TWRA book

I bet they could get you a map, or direct you to who could.

 

[TX300mag]

It was hunted in both 2020 and 2021. Last year was the only year not hunted.

keep in mind this is Unit CWD. This is going to discourage a lot of hunters that aren't already in the unit. Transporting deer across the county line is going to be extra work than a lot won't to put in on a quota hunt.

 

[Bone Collector]

It was hunted in both 2020 and 2021. Last year was the only year not hunted.

keep in mind this is Unit CWD. This is going to discourage a lot of hunters that aren't already in the unit. Transporting deer across the county line is going to be extra work than a lot won't to put in on a quota hunt.

well that answered the question I was about to ask. I thought it was but wasn't sure.

 

[backyardtndeer]

If I was using 10+ points, I would be doing what you're doing and finding out when the prime rut dates are.

Should be around the second to third week of November for peak rut there.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Don't know if the rules have changed, but I think it used to be that muzzleloaders were also allowed during the shotgun hunts. I never hunted it, but know a few guys who did regularly.

 

[Antler Daddy]

It was hunted regularly and hard before by some pretty decent hunters. The work required to hunt the place weeded out a lot of hunters.

I would not be surprised if some guardsman got to hunt it last year too.

But I sure would not waste my banked points on going there. Plus, if you look at the map, it is surrounded by Seek One neighborhoods and the like. Then you get to go sit and stare at a big ammo bunker. There are only a couple of roads accessing the place and you will be checked by guards going in if nothing has changed.

Everybody thought Oak Ridge was going to produce a lot of great bucks last year. Perhaps they are hiding them, but I don't even recall a pic of a good buck.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Everybody thought Oak Ridge was going to produce a lot of great bucks last year. Perhaps they are hiding them, but I don't even recall a pic of a good buck.

You bring up a really good point. Some of the best bucks killed at Oak Ridge are shot by hunters that hunt there year after year. Going in blind, or with a single day of scouting makes for a tough hunt. At least with Oak Ridge, you can drive the roads, outside of Tower Shielding, and get a lay of the land and have some ideas. I highly doubt that's possible at Milan.

 

[Antler Daddy]

You bring up a really good point. Some of the best bucks killed at Oak Ridge are shot by hunters that hunt there year after year. Going in blind, or with a single day of scouting makes for a tough hunt. At least with Oak Ridge, you can drive the roads, outside of Tower Shielding, and get a lay of the land and have some ideas. I highly doubt that's possible at Milan.

Nope...
In the past, hunters who took the safety course and had DOD clearance could regularly hunt the same areas or multiple areas and get to know the area. I only got to hunt the outside perimeter and got to know a couple of areas pretty good. It was like I had my own private mecca and saw tons of deer behavior that I had never seen in hunting previously.

Most of the biggest bucks were always taken in an area that was hard to get on first day of season by someone who was very familiar with the area (an employee) or very late from what I could tell.

 

[DeerCamp]

It was hunted in both 2020 and 2021. Last year was the only year not hunted.

keep in mind this is Unit CWD. This is going to discourage a lot of hunters that aren't already in the unit. Transporting deer across the county line is going to be extra work than a lot won't to put in on a quota hunt.

Not only that, but because you can't take 4 wheelers in there, be prepared for a heck of a drag in some rough terrain if you are anywhere off the few main roads. That and the CWD regs, and the safety classes and checkins/outs make this a challenging hunt for folks outside of the area.

 

[Andy S.]

I bet they could get you a map, or direct you to who could.

I spoke with Region 1 and HQ today. Official Milan VTS hunting map will be on TWRA website in the coming days. For now, this can be the "unofficial" map for us to use.

 

[Antler Daddy]

Map is online now: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/twra/images/map/Milan-Deer-Units.jpg

It makes no sense to me why they designated all of the exterior border areas outside the fence for Archery Only hunts while the interior hunts are gun. You would have thought it would have been the opposite. It would not surprise me any if it is backwards. All the bomb bunkers are inside the gun zone ....you bozos! Perhaps they are empty now.

I know 12C, 13C, and 13B areas well. That is a lot of area for 3 archery hunters per area. That was the same limit for each area when we could use a gun.

I spined a monster double drop tine in 12C on opening day of ML in 2017. It is a heartbreaking tale to watch a buck drop and then crawl down the hill, and you reload and fire your only smokeless load at him while he is laying there in the gully and cant get up. Must have missed that 2nd shot aimed at the neck...didn't want to shoot in the shoulder to ruin meat. That deer crawled off and later jumped up and went back trough the fence. Then, you still too dumb to go shoot and check your rifle zero and three weeks later miss a whopper of a typical with his tongue hanging out at 30 yards. He just walked off while I struggled to reload. That was after watching 7 different bucks chase a doe in and out of sight and almost run me over for almost an hour. I hit that buck exactly where the scope was aiming and tried to shoulder drop the next one...shot right over the top of him. Sad tale of several missed opportunties for buck trophy greatness over my hunting lifetime.

 

[Antler Daddy]

I am guessing that some of that red zone may be an unexploded ordinance range area or just plain contaminated.

 

[Squirrelhunter]

So my original post didn't turn into a novel...

1. What is everyone's feelings on this hunt? IDK. mixed emotions could be a great opportunity, but do I want to waste 10+ priority points on it...
2. Good idea, bad idea to try to draw? it appears the goal is slaughter. Quantity not quality. Running a SG hunt every weekend with 5 people in an area (IDK how big) and allowing them each 3 deer has me thinking by rut time they will be nocturnal with fear.
3. what would be the best hunt dates? Honestly one of the early SG hunts may be the ticket with bucks still on summer feed patterns, but ideally I would want to go during the rut, but IDK when that is in that area. I assume thanksgiving to late Nov. but it may be early Dec.